3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Redraif
IF you have blooms not opening or blooming dahlias that are wilting, there is something else wrong. Are you feeding them? Did you throw any Miracle Gro on them at some point?
You could have a disease or a pest problem, lack of water (once budding), bad soil - any number of things. One definite no-no is Miracle-Gro or high nitrogen fertilizers. Dahlias don't like that.
And don't be fooled by garden store blooming dahlias. Their growers could purposely cold store tubers to grow and bloom when then the stores know you can't plant tubers. What may be blooming in August now may start to bloom in May next year.
Your best bet if ordering tubers from growers is check their catalog. Places like Swan Island will often tell you which are early or late bloomers so you can plan ahead.
Good luck.
Redraif
IF you have blooms not opening or blooming dahlias that are wilting, there is something else wrong. Are you feeding them? Did you throw any Miracle Gro on them at some point?
You could have a disease or a pest problem, lack of water (once budding), bad soil - any number of things. One definite no-no is Miracle-Gro or high nitrogen fertilizers. Dahlias don't like that.
And don't be fooled by garden store blooming dahlias. Their growers could purposely cold store tubers to grow and bloom when then the stores know you can't plant tubers. What may be blooming in August now may start to bloom in May next year.
Your best bet if ordering tubers from growers is check their catalog. Places like Swan Island will often tell you which are early or late bloomers so you can plan ahead.
Good luck.
Dont blame you Poochella, I wouldnt have purchased it, but the BF picked it up cheap for his parents patio, then brought it back here in the Fall. Still, they are a great color - I have been floating them in bowls of water, just to have some of them inside. And since I tend to cut almost all of my Dahlias and bring them in, its nice to have something in that bed that is always full of blooms.
And yeah - I should have realized that you new what you were talking about re: the "orchid". sorry
"So what about plants marketed as "container dahlias"? Are these more likely to be successful because of heat tolerance or do they get that name solely based on size? "
Yes, smaller plants have smaller root systems. It may be a function of both heat and water with larger varieties in pots. They require an awful lot of water in a pot. Probably because warmer soil allows more evaporation. A partially buried pot seems to work really well; even smaller pots can be used.
I got a Neon Splendor from SI this year, it is in a clay pot and is spectacular!
I also bought Fire Magic (though they apparently delivered Dark Magic instead), it is in the ground and growing slowly, albeit with 2-3 beautiful blooms so far.
I have found advice from SI to be right on. They admit (as do most growers) that it is harder to grow dahlias in containers than the ground and I have found that to be true as well. One of my PAST mistakes though was underwatering. I had read so much about not watering dahlias after planting and having lost several that rotted anyway, that I held water back sparingly. I re-read their catalog this summer and it actually says you can't overwater dahlias (I'd heard that about roses years ago) once they start sprouting and blooming. So now I soak mine to the bottom every 3-4 days instead of the light 'washing' I used to give them every 2 days and they are loving it!
As for what soil I used in the containers? Lord only knows. Parts potting soil, part planting mix and part sand (I live in the dunes of S.F). The sand keeps them draining easily, the potting mix seems to be light enough for them to push through and the planting mix seems to keep it all together.
But other containers of mine are ALL planting mix or all planting soil (exactly what you are NOT supposed to put in pots) and they all are ablaze in blooms this year! In my opinion, the soil won't matter much once you start feeding them the right stuff (little to no nitrogen) and include blooming fertilizer that strengthens the stems and allows for blooms to do their thing!
I was going to ask the same question about Poochella and Plantlady. How are you folks doing this year? I miss your pics, Poochella, but I'm glad to see you popped up in this post!
Jesper--I have never heard of any of the three dahlias you show here but I'm certainly going to look them up. I love the G. H. Lammerse--that looks like great waterlily form! Thanks for posting pics!
Annabeth
Please post what you find out about international D.Imperialis shipping, or if they even offer seeds.
We got off to a slow start here a cold, wet spring. But things are growing nicely now, with buds and branches forming daily. I don't have many new ones this year.
I found a source for the seeds but they are out of stock right now..
Here is a link that might be useful: Chiltern Seeds
Check your fertilizer! The wrong fertilizer or insufficient fertilizer is notorious for causing weak, skinny stems. Dahlias need a fertilizer that has a relatively low nitrogen and high potassium and phosporus content (exactly the opposite of what you get when you reach for Miracle Gro!). Unfortunately I found out the hard way last year. Fertilizers meant for bulbs or even for vegetables that have a low first number and higer second and third numbers are better options. Good luck!
ok, i did it!! i've got her in the ground!! i put her in on tuesday (took me that long to get up the nerve!), and as of today she's doing well. and dear hubby got me what i think to be a miniature one, so i've got them planted next to each other. they get late morning to late afternoon sun, and my big girl (the one i've been fretting over) is starting to bloom! i'm excited.
i've been giving her tomato fertilizer and she really seems to like it. so i'm keeping my fingers crossed!
thanks again everyone!
See the thread below. Did your blooms look anything like that? I've since read it was probably a plant infected with Aster Yellows. The plant was fully developed, looked healthy til the buds opened.
Here is a link that might be useful: Possibly aster yellows
thanks! that looks like it might be the case. This is three buds on two plants yesterday :(